Storyline

Documentary telling the extraordinary story of Koko, the only 'talking' gorilla in the world, and her lifelong relationship with Penny Patterson. Project Koko started as a PhD project to teach sign language to a baby gorilla, but as Koko began to communicate with Penny, an intense bond formed between them. Penny has now been with Koko for over 40 years and claims Koko can reveal fresh insights into the workings of an animal's mind. Koko's unique life with Penny has been filmed every step of the way. Over 2,000 hours of footage chart the most dramatic moments - Penny's battle to keep Koko from being taken back to the zoo in which she was born, Penny's clash with academic critics who doubted her claims and the image of Koko mourning the death of her kitten.

Key Information

Director Jonathan Taylor
Studio BBC
Rating 7.6/10
Language EN

Cast & Crew

Bertie Carvel

Bertie Carvel

Narrator (voice)

Koko

Koko

Self

Penny Patterson

Self

Dale Djerassi

Self

Lisa Schuster

Self

Ann Southcombe

Self

Mitzi Phillips

Self

Robin Williams

Robin Williams

Self (archive footage)

Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio

Self (archive footage)

Peter Gabriel

Peter Gabriel

Self (archive footage)

Isabella Rossellini

Isabella Rossellini

Self (archive footage)

William Shatner

William Shatner

Self (archive footage)

Frequently Asked Questions

Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People was released on June 15, 2016.

The runtime of Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People is 58m.

Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People is a Documentary, TV Movie movie.

Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People has a rating of 7.6 out of 10 on TMDB.

Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People is available to watch. Check streaming platforms and theaters near you.

Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People was directed by Jonathan Taylor.

The main cast of Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People includes Bertie Carvel, Koko, Penny Patterson.

Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People is originally in English.